But despite the infection rate being higher in areas such as the East Midlands, the North East and the South West of England, there are no plans for specific lockdown rules tailored to individual regions.

In the South West, the rate is between 0.6 and 1.2, while Northern Ireland and Scotland both have an R number of 1.0.

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The figures are given as a range because giving a precise figure is not scientifically possible, while there is a lag behind real-time cases of about 10 days – the latest data was taken before Boris Johnson eased some lockdown restrictions in England last week.

He told BBC Breakfast: "People do not have the R information at the moment. They can get it, but it's not formally published by the government.

"There's a very different picture in the North, particularly in the North East, where the R is the highest, so I can understand concerns.”

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "We believe the R rate is higher in those areas, in those regions, so therefore we want the government to publish the science behind it and provide the support."